The Cecil Family
by Garn2198
Summary: James Cecil has just moved to Mystic Falls following the disappearance of his father and soon discovers that all is not normal in the town as well as in his family. On top of vampires, werewolves, witches, doppelgangers and ghosts, James adds his quirk to the supernatural. Luckily his friends are non-judgemental, not that they're in any position to be! Pairing to be decided!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Welcome to Mystic Falls

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OC.

**Having Netflix is probably one of the best things ever as it has allowed me to discover what the big deal The Vampire Diaries is, and after a few days, I've already got my inspiration for this story. So I do hope you all enjoy. Rate and review!**

_Dear Diary_

_Well, it's my first day in the small quiet town of Mystic Falls. Apparently my family lived here back in 1871 and we have an old manor here that's been abandoned ever since they left. My mother's had one hell of a headache organising renovations and then moving all of our stuff over to America from Britain, but luckily we had the help of a relative and she's willing to do anything so we can have a fresh start ever since father disappeared that night… I guess I am too. I suppose this diary serves as the metaphor of a new chapter in my life, and it is rather fitting. We shall see how this works out._

James Cecil glances over the words written in the calligraphy that has been a constant in his family since the 11th century, waiting for the ink of his favourite fountain pen to dry. His mother, Violet, was sat next to him as she drove along the smooth and quiet suburban streets of Mystic Falls, a comfortable silence settled over them. It had been the most tranquil either of them had been since his mother had declared moving day.

"You know we get the fun of putting everything away" James quipped when it dawned on him.

"I know. Needless to say, that feeling of dread has settled" she said with a small smile.

"It's all in the excitement of moving" he said and she raised a brow.

"You are rather calm about us just packing up and moving not only to a new house but a new country. Most children I know would complain that they had friends where they lived" she said and he shrugged.

"I guess I've just wanted a fresh start as much as you did" he said softly.

"Well our ancestors picked the right place. Mystic Falls looks beautiful" Violet said, looking at the calm scene in front of them.

"That they did. At least the house is finished. We get the honour of putting all the books back in the library and finding a place for the family history" he said and she grimaced at that. "Curse them for writing everything down?" he asked and she nodded.

"Lord knows I do. It's been a tradition for us since the 11th century, and as much as I loathe lugging all of these books around, I suppose they are interesting. Our diaries will add to this when you have your children" she said and he grimaced.

"Children… yeah, not what I want to be thinking about at the tender age of sixteen" he said.

"Just wait until a crazy girlfriend brings it up, along with marriage, moving in…" she trailed off then.

"At the age of sixteen? What girl thinks of that?"

"It can happen. I had a friend back in England who had a girlfriend at your age and she just started spouting off about children and marriage. Within an hour, he was single and grateful for that fact" she said and he grimaced.

"Well I am relying on you to get me out of a relationship like that if you hear talk like that"

"I'll send her flying out the door so fast she won't know what hit her. At least there's only a fifty percent chance of that happening, what with you been a saloon door and swinging both ways" she said and he smirked at that.

"You can probably get boys that are just as insane, mum" he pointed out.

"Don't remind me" she muttered.

"I am not going into any more detail regarding past loves or boyfriends with you" he said with a smile before they settled back into their silence.

Violet was 36, having had her son at the age of twenty exactly, a time in her life where responsibility was still not a full prospect in her life. Having a child had done wonders for that, however, and she put her son before her social life and friends, building an unbreakable bond with her beloved son. She still retained her youthful looks, having aged nicely. She had a heart shaped face light brown hair that she kept tied up in a ponytail and almond shaped eyes that were warm honey in colour. She wore a blue button up shirt with the first three buttons undone revealing a white t-shirt beneath and the blue shirt was tucked into some grey skinny jeans, and she wore a pair of brown knee-high boots. Around her neck was a silver chain with the Celtic triquetra pendant.

James on the other hand, looked more like his father. He had angular features with high cheekbones a strong jawline and a straight nose, but whereas his mother had warm honey eyes, he had his father's bright cerulean blues. He also differed from his father's build of strong and stocky, been more slim, but still muscular. He dressed similarly to his mother, with a brown button-up shirt and a black t-shirt beneath, only he left his short untucked and his jeans were more baggy and blue and he wore walking shoes rather than boots. Around his neck was a leather necklace with the Celtic symbol most associated with his family; the Open Triad and it was also on a ring that he wore on his right index finger, family heirlooms, Violet had told him.

"James" his mother called and he looked to see her looking out of the window. "We're here" she said and he looked out in amazement.

The manor was built with Tudor architecture with a high roof. Above the oak double doors was a large glass window with the Open Triad symbol painted on in black with two Triquetra symbols, one above and one below. The garden was well kept and a large fountain dominated the main lawn and the property was surrounded by trees and bushes. The manor itself was rather large and some areas were built with stone and concrete instead of pure concrete. It was needless to say that their ancestors were wealthy.

"Lara Croft, eat your heart out" James said when he recovered his voice.

"We'll leave our stuff in the mail hall and then you can pick your room" Violet said as they pulled up in front of the doors.

The two walked through the doors and marvelled at the main hall. The floor was polished red wood and was so shiny that the two removed their footwear the instant they got in. The staircase went up the centre and split into left and right, with two doors on each side leading to various rooms in the house. To their right, through a set of double doors was a grand dining room and was also the area where the kitchen was and to their left was the living room. The ceiling in the main hall was a high hammerbeam roof, and the walls were wood panelled and decorated with paintings of people that were in the family before.

"My good God" Violet muttered as they went into the living room. Three walls were concrete and the other was made up of pieces of stone, resembling crazy paving and was decorated with modern furniture. The ceiling was lower in this room, no floor obstructing it as it went to its peak and the windows were wide, allowing the sun to stream in, casting a warm glow.

"I am going to pick a room and get lost in the process" he said and his mother nodded dumbly.

James went to the left and through the first door, finding that it led to a corridor that went down a bit and then right. There he found two more doors spaced evenly along the long corridor on the right. His inner child came out. It was like exploring all over again, exactly what he used to do with his friends back in England.

He opened the first door and found himself in the library. A desk was at the end of the room, a large window behind it, allowing light in. Books lined the shelves, all looking fresh and new. There were a few white leather chairs behind the desk with a few small tables next to them with coasters, and another desk was placed next to a set of stairs which led to the second floor, only it was vertical, with one chair at each end. Knowing he would have another opportunity to come back, he headed out and jumped when his mother tapped him on the shoulder.

"Bloody hell! Don't do that!" he admonished and she grinned.

"Your face!" she said before laughing.

"Well I found the library. I'm going to check out the room next to it" he said, glaring when she stopped laughing to nod, and then carried on giggling as she left the corridor.

James opened the second door, finding that this one was one of four bedrooms. The walls were wood panelled, except for one that had the crazy paving-styled wall and another which was a wall of empty book shelves. A large bed was in the middle of one of the walls and facing the door, made up with black that had a floral pattern on them and a bedside table either side with a lamp on them. A desk was in front of the 'book wall,' a fair distance away to allow room for movement behind. Two leather chairs were by one of the tall windows, a small table with a vase of fake but realistic white roses. There was a set of drawers flanked either side by a wardrobe. Lastly there was a window seat made up with cushions that looked comfortable.

"Got my room" he said with a smile. He then looked at the bookshelves as an idea hit him. He also had a space for the family history.

He came back into the main hall to see his mother moving in boxes of the renewed family journals and he went out to help her, taking a box of them from her. They were labelled chronologically, so sorting them wouldn't be an issue. All in all, there were about eleven big boxes of old journals that made up the family history.

"I have a place to put them" he told his mother.

"Oh?"

"I chose my room. An entire wall at the back of the room is nothing but bookshelves so there should be enough room to put them all" he said and she beamed.

"Great! You can peruse them instead of having to dig them out then" Violet said. There was a knock on the door. "This had better not be our first door-to-door salesman" she said, turning around and answering with a small smile.

"Violet Cecil?" a man in a suit asked, he was with two others, a teenager and a woman. The man's family, most likely.

"Yes?" she answered politely.

"I am Richard Lockwood, the mayor of Mystic Falls" he said and James raised a brow. "This is my son Tyler, and my wife Carol. We were just calling to welcome your family back to Mystic Falls. It's been many years since the Cecil's have lived amongst the community" he said and Violet kept up her soft smile.

"Thank you, Mayor. It's a pleasure to meet you and your family. I'm Violet and this is my son, James" she introduced and he stepped forward, shaking all of their hands and offering a winning smile.

"A pleasure to meet you Mr. Lockwood, and your family" he said politely. Tyler smirked, knowing that it was false.

"Would you like to come in?" Violet offered and the mayor nodded. The two Cecil's stepped aside and the three walked in. "We've just started moving our things in, but I'm sure there is a kettle set up. Can I offer you some tea?" she asked politely.

"That would be lovely" Carol answered with a smile of her own.

"I'll help" James said, following his mother into the kitchen and putting the kettle on.

"The son and the wife I don't mind, but the mayor screams arrogance" Violet whispered as she gathered five mugs.

"You got that from a polite introduction?"

"All politicians, no matter how small or how polite they may seem, always flaunt their title to the new families when they just move to town" she said and he nodded. "And your politeness was hardly genuine" she retorted.

"Enough to pacify him"

* * *

They spent time making idle chatter, but it got to a point where James was about ready to tear his hair out so he subtly looked around for an excuse to leave the room. He saw them. The boxes of journals. Better to kill two birds in one stone. He can get the journals put away so it's done and out of the way, and he can abandon the idle chit chat.

"I'm sorry to leave you all, but there are some books that I need to have put away in my room so that they are out of the way" he said and his mother sent him a pleading look. The kind that screamed 'don't leave me!' He flashed her a rather apologetic look.

"You have an interest in literature?" Carol asked one last question.

"Yes, one of my favourite subjects. I'll be taking it in school" he said with a small smile. "These books are the family history, rather than actual works, however" he said and she smiled.

"Well don't let us keep you from putting them away" Carol said and he nodded.

"I'll help" Tyler offered and he turned with a small smile.

"It's fine, really" he protested.

"You have nearly a dozen boxes to move and this house is huge. By the time you're done, you'll be ready to drop" he said, before casting a similar pleading look.

"Thank you" he said politely and gestured for him to follow him back into the main hall.

"Thanks for getting me out of there, man" Tyler said and the other chuckled.

"Idle talk doing your bloody head in?"

"Yeah. Sorry about them. Dad always likes to flaunt his title to new families in town" Tyler said and the other shook his head, picking up a box.

"It's fine, really. Better to learn it now rather than later. Allows us to learn about the town" he said. "Room's this way" he said, heading to the left and through the first door with a little effort.

"Obviously it bothered you. That smile was totally fake" Tyler said and he went to protest as they walked to his room. "And don't even bother trying to lie, dude. I'm the mayor's son, I've been to everyone's house to welcome them to Mystic Falls and I've seen plenty of fake smiles" he said as James opened the door to his room.

"Sorry" he said guiltily.

"Hey, I don't blame you" Tyler said with a grin, before looking around the room. "Nice" was all he said.

"I'm still amazed by it all. I'd never have guessed that our ancestors were this wealthy. I mean they left a lot of it behind for us but it still amazes us" he said, placing the one box down.

"Reckon you could convince your mom to hold a party?" Tyler asked and the other grinned.

"Ha! I'd have an easier time getting a dog to speak English"

* * *

It was another half an hour before the Lockwoods left the house and Tyler was quick to flash the two a wry smirk to which his mother rolled his eyes and James merely grinned. She closed the door and sighed in relief, sliding down the door and sitting. He simply chuckled and sat next to her by the door whilst she glared at him.

"You abandoned me!" she exclaimed.

"If I had sat through more of that man's drivel, I would have shot someone or myself. I think it was better for all parties involved if I made myself scarce" he said and she narrowed her eyes at him. "So what did you talk about?"

"Small talk, except for an invitation to the Founder's Party and Heritage Display" she said and he sighed.

"How formal?" he asked and she grimaced.

"Very formal. And I said that we would go to represent our family. Apparently our ancestors contributed greatly to the establishment of Mystic Falls as an idealistic community. We really need to skip to this part of our family story because as of right now, we are a Founding Family" she said and he grimaced. "Looks like mandatory attendance to every single party that is to be thrown" she said.

"I suppose it can't be all that bad. Free champagne, a chance to get to know people and I suppose we have an excuse to wear formal clothes" he said and she nodded.

"Well we had best get started on getting ready. We have to sift through all of our boxes, find the right outfit, get cleaned up and make sure we make ourselves look the part of the important family, as much as I don't want to seem like an insufferable snob" she said and he laughed.

"Stop been negative. Now come on, time to pick out all of our clothes" he said, sounding chipper.

"You find this rubbish too don't you?" she asked, seeing through his chipper demeanour.

"With my entire being" he said, dropping the smile. "Let's just rip off the proverbial plaster and get this over with. We'll have some champagne or fine wine, eat a few finger sandwiches, then we'll come back, gorge ourselves on pizza and guzzle Pepsi" he said and she grinned.

"What better way to spend the rest of the night" she said, getting up.

After some digging around, he had managed to find a black blazer with a white button-up t-shirt, a black waist-coat and his dress trousers along with a tie. He even wore a white scarf draped over his shoulders and a pair of leather shoes that had a leather sole, which had provided his mother with a laugh as he tried not to slip on the well-polished floor. Violet was wearing a long red dress with a red wrap and her hair was now straight and flowing over her shoulder. She wore her family pendant along with a silver ring that was studded with Tanzanite.

"Time to blend in with the elite of Mystic Falls" she said as James placed his ring back on his index finger. "You look so handsome" she said with a smile.

"You look beautiful, mum. Haven't seen you in a dress for years" he said, her arm looped through his as he took the car keys off of her. No way was she messing around with shoes so she could drive, he was doing this for the preservation of time.

"I think the last time I wore a dress it was when your father took me out to a really fancy restaurant"

"I remember. First time without a babysitter for me" he said with a grin.

"Yes. Take no offence, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that you hadn't wrecked the house" she said and he set a low glare. "Well then, let's go"

* * *

The Lockwood mansion was the largest house in the whole of Mystic Falls and from the looks of things, a large portion of the town was attending. People were dressed smartly in suits and tuxedos for the men, and women dressed in beautiful dresses, all of them with a smile on their face. The music was loud enough to be heard through the house, but quiet enough for people to talk in civil tones with one another.

"The Lockwoods know how to throw a formal party" Violet said as they into the foyer of the house.

"Violet, James" Carol said, approaching them with a smile. "So glad you could make it" she said and they returned the smile. They liked Carol more than Richard, she seemed more genuine, compared to his more arrogant demeanour.

"Well we saw it as a wonderful opportunity to meet the people of Mystic Falls" Violet said, accepting a glass of champagne, just as her son did. "And acquaint ourselves with the other Founding Families" she added on.

"I think they are all here. I shall leave the introductions up to you" she said, before heading off.

"Who are the Founding Families?" James asked.

"There's the Lockwoods, the Gilberts', the Forbes', the Fells, and the Salvatores'. And then there's the Cecil's apparently" she said and he nodded, sipping lightly on the champagne. "Two glasses" she reminded.

"I know" he said. "I am going to look around and mingle" he said and she nodded.

In every party, formal or informal, there is always one occasion when someone bumps into someone else, and in James' case, this happened as well. However, as soon as he made contact with the stranger, he felt a chill run up his spine, which was disconcerting. Nevertheless, he looks up to see that he had bumped into a young man, probably his age, who was the epitome of beautiful with his brown hair spiked, his skin pale and flawless and his features masculine and broad.

"Pardon me. I should have been paying attention to where I was going" the youngest remaining Cecil said and the stranger smiled warmly.

"It's fine, really" he said. "I don't think I've seen you around Mystic Falls" he said, making conversation.

"My mother and I recently moved here. James Cecil" he said, extending his hand.

"Stefan Salvatore" the other introduced, shaking his hand. His skin was slightly colder than his and the shake once more gave him that chill. How was it possible? Considering the warm smile and the polite greeting.

"One of the Founding Families" he pointed out.

"The same could be said for yours"

"Well I don't really know my family history all that well, considering they documented it in a literal wall of journals that I haven't read" he said with a small smile. "I should probably start reading them, though" he added on as an afterthought. A beautiful girl approached them, looking at Stefan with a small smile. She had long brown hair that was elegantly styled for the event and she had an oval face with almond shaped eyes.

"I brought us something to drink" she said, and then she looked at him. "You must be the new guy everyone is talking about" she said and he raised a brow.

"News travels in this town?" he asked.

"It's a small town. I'm Elena Gilbert" she said and he introduced himself before chuckling.

"Here I was telling my mum to be making the introductions with the Founding Families and I've met members of two already, not counting the Lockwoods" he said and they both smiled.

"How do you think most of us found out? Mayor Lockwood always keeps us updated on whose new and teenagers still gossip outside of school" Elena said and he smiled at that. "So I'm guessing that we'll be seeing you around school?" she asked and he nodded.

"Of course. I'll have some catching up to do though" he said ruefully.

"Well you could always ask me, Stefan or my best friend Bonnie. We'd be happy to help"

"Thank you. I was wondering if you could help me understand my ancestor's part in the town. Mum and I only came here when our grandmother told us about our family manor here" he said and Stefan took up that part of the conversation.

"Apparently your family played a large part in beautifying the town. Things such as flowers and trees always seemed to grow well when your family was involved and they preserved nature for years before they left. I think that was your great grandparents" Stefan said and the other looked impressed.

"You know a lot about the local history"

"Bit difficult not to when it's constantly drummed into us" Stefan quipped and the other chuckled.

"I swear to God, the snobbiness is driving me up the proverbial wall!" his mother exclaimed as she approached, before catching her tongue. "Wow, I'm interrupting and I'm been rude at the same time" she said and James rolled his eyes.

"Elena, Stefan, I'd like you to meet my mother, Violet" he said and they all shook hands. "Elena and Stefan are part of the Gilbert and Salvatore families respectively" he explained and she blushed a little.

"Sorry for the little outburst. It's lovely to meet you" she said and they both smiled.

"Which family?" was all Elena asked.

"Not a particular family, just some of the elitist's here" she said and Elena nodded.

"You get used to it. Most of the town are working class, it's just the ones who hold a place on the Founder's Council and have a high end job" she said and they both nodded. "Sherriff Forbes is one of the decent ones and Carol doesn't flaunt her status, at least not in public" she said.

"Is this a class in Mystic Falls 101?" Violet asked.

"And there's plenty more where that came from" Elena said with a small smile.

"I see. Well on that note, we really must be going. I look forward to seeing you both around" the eldest Cecil said earnestly. "That is if James invites you both over" she said.

"You'll have to forgive her. She looks for every opportunity to embarrass me in front of any friends and I think she may be a few cups shy of a tea service" she said and the other two chuckled. "But it is nice to meet you. I was hoping that one of you could show me around tomorrow. I've received my enrolment instructions but no map" he said and Elena nodded.

"Meet me in the school parking lot and we'll go from there" she said and he gave a grateful smile, before heading off.

"I suppose it wasn't all that bad"

"No it wasn't"

* * *

The two of them had changed into their pyjamas the moment they got in and were sat with a lit fireplace, a pizza box on the coffee table in front of them and two glasses. It was warm and comfortable as mother and son made idle chatter with one another, before James chose to bring up the issue about the feeling he got when he made physical contact with Stefan.

"Something's been bothering me" he said and she rose a brow.

"The whole 'life change' just hit you?" she asked and he shook his head.

"It's when I shook Stefan's hand. I felt something, it was cold and it ran up my spine" he said and she looked interested. "I saw something to. I can't describe it, but it wasn't pleasant" he added on and she sat up.

"What could you compare it to?" she asked and he thought.

"I suppose it would be my interpretation of death" he said grimly and she sighed.

"You're manifesting" she said quietly, but he picked it up.

"I'm what?"

"Time you learned the family history in a nutshell" Violet said and he sat up. "Our family history begins in the 11th century and has ties to witchcraft. Have you ever heard of the Morrigan?" she asked and he shook his head.

"Not really"

"Well there are many interpretations of the legend of the Morrigan, ranging from one witch to three with the latter been the truth. Our family is descended from one of the Morrigan"

"So we're witches?" he asked and she nodded. "Not possible" he said in an instant and she grinned.

"Is it?" she asked, before the fire went out and then reignited. "No breeze to blow it out and the fire is not a gas one" she said and he shakily nodded for her to continue. "And we're actually Celtic Druids, hence the necklaces. The necklaces that we wear allow us to channel their power. The third one has been missing for nearly a century, but we are capable of using magic without them. The reason that this town was so beautiful was because our ancestors used their magic for the benefit of nature, for we are servants of nature" she said.

"And dad, was he…?" James asked and she nodded.

"It was by chance that two druids would marry. The plan was for the both of us to teach you our ways, but he disappeared" she said sadly and he frowned.

"So how did the Morrigan become legend?" he asked.

"Whenever the Morrigan entered a battle, the enemies of King Arthur soon began dropping dead, their souls just drained of life, killed not by the touch of a sword or spear, but by magic. Not their most benevolent of moments, but the founder of our family resorted to making sure that we would only protect the balance of nature and use magic only as a tool in self-defence rather than use it to inflict pain deliberately and for personal gain"

"So what I felt at the party…?"

"Was you manifesting the power of divination through psychometry" she finished and he sighed.

"New town, new school, new friends, and I'm also a Druid. I think it's fair to say that my life has completely and utterly changed" he said and she reached over to hold his hand.

"Changed? Yes, but I am here to help you every single step of the way with it. Seeing as you've started manifesting, I can start teaching you magic in its many forms and we can decipher the feeling you received when you shook Stefan's hand"

_Dear Diary_

_Well I can honestly say I wasn't expecting some of the news that I heard tonight. My family are descended from one of three Druidess' from the 11th century who served King Arthur and now it's been revealed that I am one. My whole life has changed now, not just because of the move, but because of this. I can only hope that no one outside of my family knows about this because society has taught me that using spells and the like often gets you into trouble, be it through misuse or because of a scared populace._

**Okay, I want some ideas for pairings, which is why I've made my character bisexual. I want you guys t****o have a say in this so either PM me with suggestions or leave them a review. My character will meet every character from the series, so even though he hasn't met everyone in this opening chapter, I will adapt the story to fit the winning choice. Thanks in advance!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: School Begins

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OC's.

**Rate and Review!**

_Dear Diary_

_I'm not as nervous about my first day in a new school as any other teenager normally is. I suppose it was my meeting with Elena and Stefan, who seemed nice enough and Elena even offered to show me around and help out whenever I needed it. The whole chill that I received may actually have some meaning now that I know I'm a Druid, but Stefan's smile and the way we spoke makes it seem that such a feeling could not be right. My mother's looking into it whilst I'm in school, but I'm adamant that I have no reason to fear Stefan._

Whilst he waited for the ink to dry, James gathered his clothes, consisting of a grey long-sleeved three button v-neck shirt, a black denim vest to go over it, a pair of blue denim jeans and his walking trainers which were comfortable than other shoes for him. His messenger bag was placed on his bed, empty for now, but with the catch up work he has to do, he knew that it would fill up in no time just from the first day. His mother opened the door just as he was heading for the bathroom so he could shower.

"Just checking to see that you were up. Normally you'd come downstairs" she said with a small smile.

"Writing a diary entry and making sure I have everything for the first day" he explained. "So do you think you'll be able to find out what that feeling is?" he asked and she sighed.

"I'll be searching through the journals. It'll take me time, but I think one of our ancestors had to have come across this feeling and knows what it meant. I want to teach you the basics of magic tonight as well" she said and he nodded with an enthusiastic smile.

"I look forward to it" he said with a small smile.

"Oh, almost forgot. Me been the lovely mother that I am, I got you a little something" she said, holding up a key, a car key to be specific.

"You didn't" he said in amazement.

"I may have dipped into our family's considerable wealth" she said and he grinned.

"You were the best before but now there is no one that can beat you. Unless they happen to buy me a supercar, then they may have a shot" he said and she put the key on his set of drawers. "I will look after it" he added on.

"Good, because if you scratch her, I'll cry" his mum said, before leaving the room.

He showered and dressed quickly, putting on his ancestor's necklace as well as his ring and he grabbed his new car key and bag before heading downstairs into the living room. He had a question regarding the ring that couldn't wait, otherwise it would drive him up the proverbial wall. He could see she was already going through one of the journals, in fact it was the first one.

"This ring. It's not one of our ancestors', so what is it?"

"It was your fathers" she said with a sigh. "The symbol is more than a reference to the Morrigan. It's the family symbol, it has always been present throughout the family history" she explained and he looked at it.

"I never saw him wear it" James said quietly.

"He kept it for you. Your father cast a spell linking him to it so even in death or his absence, you could channel his power. He told me one night that it was his way of been with you always" she said with a fond smile.

"Hence why you gave it to me before we got here" he figured out and Violet nodded.

"Keep it with you always. He's with you always" she said and he nodded with a small smile.

"I'd best get going… wouldn't want to be late" James said and she made a shooing motion with her hand.

"I'll keep looking in these journals to see if we can figure what that feeling was. And whilst I'm at it, I'm going to try and find that third family pendant"

"Okay, good luck and have fun" he said, heading out the door and he took in the sight of the new car. "Bloody hell, mum, I love you" he breathed upon seeing the four door Jeep Wrangler. "Let's take you for a spin" James said, climbing in and starting it up.

* * *

Despite the early morning, he could see everyone was already awake and going about their usual business, most of them with a smile on their face. Monday blues were virtually non-existent in Mystic Falls, it would seem, and even though he regretted a weekend passing by quickly, perhaps in this town it wouldn't be so bad. It didn't take long for him to reach Mystic Falls High and true to her word, Elena was waiting for him alongside another girl, dark-skinned and beautiful. Both of them were chatting amiably when he pulled up and got out, grabbing his bag from the backseat and then locking the car.

"Hey" Elena chirped with a smile.

"Good morning Elena, and I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting?" he asked politely to the other girl who merely smiled.

"I'm the best friend" she replied.

"Ah, Bonnie. Well it's lovely to meet you Bonnie" he said, shaking her hand and he felt a rush of power flow through the touch. Great. Another thing to decipher.

"First stop on the tour, the office so you can get your schedule and then we'll go from there" Elena said and he smiled, thanking her. As they walked, Bonnie continued to point out the obvious which was the feelings that Elena had for Stefan. He'd met them last night for all of a few minutes and he could see it as well.

"You two can't stop staring at one another in History" Bonnie pointed out.

"Elena, I met you for a few minutes last night and it's clear to see"

"You see! He's a guy and he can spot it" Bonnie exclaimed.

"You do know that not all males are emotionally retarded?" James said with a raised brow.

"Yeah, but they are usually the gay ones" Bonnie said and he chuckled.

"Try the halfway mark" he said easily and both girls stopped to look at him in surprise. "To answer your un-worded question, yes I am bisexual. It doesn't take a psychic to know that's the question that was running through your minds" he said and Elena was the first to speak up.

"That was a rather blunt confession"

"Well you're friends, I would hope. So it's better to be honest with everything. I'm an open book, you can ask me anything and I will answer without resignation" he said with a small smile.

"Of course we're friends" Bonnie said with a soft smile. "And I am curious about that symbol" she said as they started walking.

"It's a Celtic symbol, known as the Open Triad. It's what my family are associated with, that and the Triquetra" he explained. "My mother has a pendant with that one"

"Do they mean anything?" Elena asked.

"Supposedly they were linked to the Morrigan, a group of three Celtic Druidess', who are also the founders of my family, or rather one was. I have one, my mother has another, but the third has been lost for over a century" he said as they arrived at the office. "I'll tell you the rest once I've got my schedule" he said, quickly heading in and handing in his personal file and receiving his schedule which was taken from him by Bonnie. "Its fine Bonnie, not like I needed to read it in any case" he said sarcastically.

"You have history with me, Elena and Stefan this morning as well as English and Biology" she said with a grin. "You get to watch her make lovey dovey eyes at Stefan"

"I don't make lovey dovey eyes" Elena protested.

"Longing glances?" James asked whilst Bonnie snickered.

"Nor do I make longing glances"

"If you want us to phrase it better, we could say that you are admiring the physical form of your boyfriend?" he suggested and she mock-glares at him. "I take your silence as a sign of surrender and therefore a confession. And to think you're stuck with me" he said with a grin just as the bell went for classes to begin.

Both James and Bonnie took great amusement in watching both Elena and Stefan constantly looking over at one another and then turning away if they were seen by the other. Tanner constantly tried to catch Elena out, however Stefan always came to her defence, not only by answering the question, but also by adding details that he left out. On one occasion, Tanner asked James to look up a certain fact that he didn't believe and it turned out to be true, and the Brit barely supressed and amused smirk when he confirmed it. Of course Stefan saw through it and grinned.

Biology was a saving grace as Stefan and Elena were lab partners and so sat next to each other so there wasn't much staring going on there. However Bonnie and James had taken to speculating what their hushed conversations were about throughout the lesson, or by imitating them, which had earned them a scolding from the teacher, but the two shared a laugh. They soon had a break and Elena glared at the two.

"You are so lucky that you two are my friends" she muttered.

"Yes we are, otherwise where else would we get our kicks?" Bonnie asked with a grin. It was then that a blonde girl with an enthusiastic smile dressed for the beach approached.

"Hey guys! Who's this?" she asked.

"James Cecil, pleasure to meet you…" he let it hang.

"Caroline Forbes" she introduced and he shook her hand. "So will you be helping out at the car wash to raise funds for the athletic department?" she asked, already looking over his lithe form, forgoing subtlety.

"I only just found out about it, so I'm afraid that I won't be" he said with a rueful smile.

"What will you do for the rest of the day? The rest of the day's cancelled" Elena said and he shrugged.

"I might head home and help my mother search for that pendant. Plus she said she had found something that might interest me and don't ask me what, as I don't know. It was lovely meeting you Caroline" he said, bidding the girls farewell.

"He's cute" Caroline said.

"You have a fifty percent chance for he swings both ways" Bonnie said and she grinned.

"I love a challenge"

* * *

James pulled up in front of the house and went inside where he saw his mum dressed in a black jacket that had a single yellow stripe on the chest with a white shirt underneath. She also wore long dark brown pants tucked into a pair of black boots and she actually had a backpack on, a light attached to one of the straps. The resemblance was too uncanny for him to not make a reference, so he rose a brow and put his messenger bag on the floor.

"Okay Tomb Raider, what's going on?" he asked.

"Three things, one I found out what that feeling meant, two, I know where the pendant is as well as the Grimoire of Danu and thirdly, supposedly the Morrigan took a green liquid capable of prolonging life for a few centuries to the grave. Not immortality but longevity" she said and he looked interest.

"The Grimoire of Danu and a life extender?"

"Written by the Druid from which we are descended" she said and he grinned.

"Where to?"

"The family crypt beneath the house" she said nonchalantly and his eyes shot open. "Our family kept all of the bodies here, where they could be preserved with magic. The Grimoire and the pendant are buried with the bodies of the Morrigan, so we are literally tomb raiding" she said, gesturing for him to follow, tossing a torch at him. "Our family was full of surprises" she said, moving a bookcase that was in the main hall and flicking a switch, the panel sliding open. She flicked on her light just as he did.

"What about that feeling?" he asked and she shook her head.

"I'll tell you once we get the pendant and Grimoire" she said earnestly.

They began to walk down a set of steps, the entire crypt smelt damp and it could be seen that it hadn't been tended to in quite a while. They reached the bottom of the steps to find a solid stone door blocking the way with a stone inscription carved clearly into it as well as a faint green Open Triad at the bottom of the inscription. Violet grinned and turned around.

"Okay, Magic 101: the rules" she began.

"You're going to teach?" he asked, looking around.

"You'll learn the theory as well as the practical. When it comes to using magic, you must remember that you have a limit to how much power you can use. Channelling doesn't take all the strain of using magic away, merely delays it. And remember, the magic we use is connected to the spirits of other witches and Druids, do not use it for negative purposes, and more importantly do no upset the balance of nature" she instructed and he nodded.

"So the door?"

"It reads: 'Only the descendants of Danu, Almeda and Caird may open the door to the final resting place of the Order of the Three'" she said and sighed happily. "Wonderful. This will require the two of us to move" she said.

"What do I need to do?" James asked pocketing the torch for a moment.

"Stand next to me and hole out you left arm" she instructed. "Telekinesis is all about moving something with your mind, your arm can better direct the object. I will move the right half of the door whilst you move the left" she said and he nodded. "You need to concentrate in order to achieve your goal"

With a deep breathe, he focused on his goal as did Violet and the green Open Triad lit up, to which they moved the door aside, revealing a long passage way with torches. His mother smiled and raised her hand, pointing at one torch and then moving her hand faintly in the direction of the others on her mental command, making them light. James pulled out the torch and switched it off, aware he had left it on and the two of them carried on, with the younger Cecil amazed at what he had managed to achieve.

"That was incredible" he said with a grin.

"Most first time Druids don't manage their first use of telekinesis so easily. Then again you always are a focused person" she said fondly as they walked down the corridor.

"Is it just the Morrigan that are buried here?" he asked and she shook her head.

"No, but they are in the central chamber which we're just about to enter" she said and he looked around.

The room was pure marble and domed, in the centre were three stone coffins arranged triangularly with a Triquetra symbol in the middle, each point connected to one of the coffins. They could hear the whispers of the spirits as they looked around. There were three statues, all of them of beautiful women and they looked amazed.

"They were beautiful" James said in wonder.

"It's wonderful, isn't it?" Violet nodded in agreement, before looking at one of the tombstones, whilst James stood on the symbol where he heard a faint click and the sound of running liquid. The Triquetra turned green as the indentation was filled with a liquid to which his mother grabbed three vials.

"They took this to the grave, thinking that it would be useful to the descendants. It was only meant to be used with the most benign purposes in mind such as protecting the balance of nature in a more turbulent time or to pass on knowledge in person to many generations of Druids" she said, scooping up some in three vials.

"Why did they never take it?" he asked with a raised brow.

"Because of what they did whilst under the control of Arthur. One thousand men marched on Badon Hill in the morning and all had died by nightfall, not by the stroke of a sword, or by the impalement of a spear" she explained.

"They believed they weren't worthy?" he asked and Violet nodded.

"Danu had cast a spell ensuring that Druids and witches who have committed an atrocity could never use it. If they were to ingest it, then they would die. The same would happen if it was used for personal gain. Only the pure with altruistic reasons can give themselves the gift of longevity"

"How much did you read?" James asked with a raised brow.

"A lot. Our history is actually pretty colourful" she said, placing the vials in her backpack.

"Now, we just need to retrieve the pendant and the Grimoire" James said with a smile.

"Danu's coffin contains it" she said.

James walked over to the right coffin and pushed with all his strength, moving the stone lid so that he could see and reach inside. He stopped when he saw the body. Danu was preserved perfectly and she looked young. The woman was beautiful in a pure white dress and her raven hair framing her oval face which looked peaceful, as though she were asleep. He saw the surprisingly well-preserved book lying on her abdomen, and he read the inscription.

"May my descendants find use of this, should they find it" he read aloud. "Thank you Danu" he said, gently moving her hands that covered the book and placing it next to him whilst he crossed her hands over her heart gently. James then went to the other side and pushed the lid closed and he felt a gentle gust of wind next to him, something comforting to him. "Have you found the pendant?" he asked as his mother finished closing one of the other coffins and brought up a small box. She opened it, revealing a pendant identical to the one that she wore.

"The Open Triad was the lead, and the two Triquetras were its companions" she said.

"Now that we have what we need, let's go and leave them to rest in peace" he said, and they headed out the way they came, the torches extinguishing as they passed and the stone door closing once they passed its threshold. Violet flicked the switch that sealed the crypt with the wooden panel and then looked at her son.

"We'll talk about your vibe" she said, sounding a little nervous.

"How bad is it?" he asked and Violet sighed. "Mum?" he urged.

"The vibe that you had from Stefan could best be acquainted to a vampire" she said and he looked surprised.

"A vampire?" he asked, shocked.

"It makes sense actually. The Salvatores were part of a massive hunt for vampires back in 1864. Two brothers, one named Damon and the other, Stefan fell in love with a girl, Katherine, who was revealed to be a vampire. Our ancestors took part in the hunt, for vampires are considered abominations in nature and therefore they upset the balance" the elder Cecil explained and then he looked concerned. "What?"

"Elena. She is going out with Stefan" he said and she rose a brow.

"This is starting to sound cliché" she said and he shook his head.

"It just doesn't make sense. I'm a good judge of character and Stefan seemed like a decent person and he can't compel me to think that" he pointed out and she nodded.

"You are a good judge in character. A vampire he may be, but that doesn't mean he isn't feeding on an alternative source. Vampires were believed to be responsible for large quantities of donor blood going missing back in England and animal blood makes an alternate food source"

"Then that's what he's doing" he said resolutely.

"Well he must be invited in the house if he wants to come in. That lies with you and me, so if you trust him as much as Elena does, then that's fine by me"

"I need to learn magic so I can protect myself"

"Absolutely, however, there is a method to teaching. You have to start of small and work your way up the ladder" she said and he sighed. "Just be glad you can't be compelled, and just in case I think I'll start putting vervain in our drinks" she said and he nodded. That way, a vampire would cease to feed on him and it would leave him or her weakened.

"Patience is a virtue. Thankfully Stefan is the only vampire in the town, that we know of anyway"

"Hmm, onto more upbeat topics. What the bloody hell are you doing home so early?" she asked.

"There was a car wash at the school and those not participating were let off as most of the student body were helping out in some form or another" he explained and she nodded. "And besides, you were about to head downstairs into a crypt that required two Druids to open. We have three vials of liquid longevity, a Grimoire written by Danu and the pendant, don't question a good thing" he said, sitting down and sighing.

"You've taken the whole Druid and vampire thing rather well" Violet said after a moment's silence.

"It's a part of me, a part that I can't change so it's better to accept it. And when you find out you can cast magic, anything is possible, including vampires" he said and she nodded.

"We'd hoped to keep you out of the supernatural life for as long as possible. Teach you magic only and not actually discuss what creatures actually exist, so we'd have all the time we needed" she said and he smiled. "You would have learned at some point or another, but we wanted to make sure you learned everything that you could"

"Well I know now. And that explains why you used to slip vervain into my tea" he said and she grinned.

"Subtlety was never my forte" the eldest Cecil said with a sheepish smile.

"Is it really that bad for vampires?" he asked.

"It burns them if it makes direct contact with their skin and if ingested can leave them weak for a day or so" she explained and he nodded. "So why didn't you stay for the car wash, James?" she asked and he smiled.

"These clothes weren't meant to be worn washing cars, and I'm a little self-conscious. There were a load of football players there" he said and she grinned. "That and a girl named Caroline was not very discreet. I think she was undressing me with her eyes" he said and she laughed at that. "Plus I just wanted to come home and relax, instead I end up going into a crypt beneath our house to grab three vials of liquid longevity, an old spell book that was owned by our ancestor and a pendant that can channel the powers of one of the Morrigan" he said and she smiled sheepishly.

"Yeah, much more relaxing than lounging around" she said.

"Almost. Still prefer the living room to the crypt" he said, before holding his fingers apart slightly. "But only this much" he said sarcastically. "So, what's on the agenda?" he asked.

"Well I can teach you more about telekinesis?" she suggested.

"Sure, that'd be great" he said and she smiled.

They'd spent a while going over the basics of telekinesis with the help of a couple of feathers that his mother had pulled from an old pillow. The exercise was for James to move an object with his mind and nothing else, not using his arms to direct the feather. He was told to get it to do as he desired and he could see why it was easier to use his arms. It relieves the strain, and it requires less of his concentration. Then she threw the other ones up and he immediately focused on having them levitate where they were.

"Excellent" she said proudly as he lowered them back into a pile.

"I felt a little strain, but I am new to this, it's to be expected" he said and she nodded.

"Druids pick up on their magic faster than witches" Violet explained.

"How else are we different?"

"Druids are more skilled in using mental abilities, such as divination, telepathy and empathy. Some spells that are used on another's mind, such as a spell which basically gives the target a brain aneurysm over and over again, is amplified. If a regular witch were to use it then it would cause great pain and bring any creature to its knees, but if I were to use it, I would floor them with the amount of pain" she explained.

"Such magic is permitted?" he asked, a little horrified.

"It is as a defence against the supernatural" Violet reassured.

"So I need to learn that if vampires are indeed returning to Mystic Falls" he said and she nodded.

"Learning that spell will be tricky, considering that we don't have a vampire to use as a target and even if we did, we'd need to know that this vampire had committed an atrocity" Violet said.

"And Stefan is the only vampire I know. However if I use that spell on him, well one, he'd likely kill me, quite literally, and if he doesn't then I'm sure Elena will. Besides, he hasn't given me a reason to use that spell" he said and she nodded.

"I can teach you the technique and what to do, but the practical is next to non-existent"

"Learn as I go along, I suppose" he said before sighing. "How do I use empathy?"

"Okay. I am going to look completely emotionless. There will be no indicator of emotion in my face, my body or my eyes. You will have to focus on me so you can figure out my true emotions" she said and he nodded. Violet was sat straight, her breathing even and her honey eyes were no longer warm which was odd for her, and her face was utterly black. He rose a brow at the odd look before focusing on what he wanted to achieve. His mind brushed against hers, a contact that startled him for a moment before he allowed it. Her true emotions were revealed. Happiness, contentment and pride were in turn imparted onto him, and a smile slips onto his face.

"You're awfully chipper" he said and everything that made his mother look like she had emotions was back, the warmth in her eyes, the smile and her posture was relaxed.

"You must be careful when using this ability, not only will it wear you down but you will be a little influenced by others emotions. If I felt malice and anger, that would influence you. With a bit of mental training I can help you block that" she said and he grinned from ear to ear.

"We have a lot to do"

_Dear Diary_

_Becoming a Druid has opened my eyes to everything. The nature around me astounds me more so, and I now feel a compulsion, if you'll pardon the reference, to protect it. I'd thought that adapting to this would be more difficult, however I find it increasingly easy. There is no denying that it's difficult, on some days I would wear myself out and my nose would bleed, but a little bit of rest usually does me some good. On another note, my mother has given me the vials of the Morrigan potion for safe keeping, citing that they were mine, but they were only to be used if the need is rather pressing and my reasons are altruistic. Yet, I still don't have my father teaching me all of this alongside her like they planned. If only he were here…_


End file.
